Dishwasher

ABSTRACT

A dishwashing machine including a housing and a pair of retractable pull-out dishwashing system containers mounted one above the other in the housing. The housing having an internal height and the pair of retractable pull-out dishwashing system containers having a total combined height less than the internal height of the housing. The lower container can be height adjustably mounted and the upper and lower containers can have different individual heights.

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwashing machine with two retractable pull-out containers, each containing a dishwashing system.

[0002] WO 93/12706 A1 discloses a dishwashing machine, in which two identically sized pull-out containers are provided stacked one above the other in the housing of the dishwashing machine and retractable from the housing. For matching the customary appearance of a row of kitchen appliances the lower pull-out container is provided with a base panel, which is also moved when the pull-out container is withdrawn. As a result, the base panel of the pull-out container is separate relative to the base panel of the kitchen furniture or domestic appliances installed adjacent to the dishwashing machine, such as for example refrigerators or stoves, giving an optical illusion. Arranging the base panel set back relative to its front usual in a row of kitchen appliances is not at all possible in the case of the known dishwashing machine.

[0003] The object of the invention is to design a dishwashing machine of the type initially described, such that when the dishwashing machine is placed in a row of kitchen appliances the base panel can be designed to be continuous and also can be set back relative to the front of a row of kitchen appliances.

[0004] The solution to this task according to the present invention is that, in their overall height, both pull-out containers are smaller than the internal height available in the housing of the dishwashing machine. With both pull-out containers designed with an overall height which is smaller than the internal height available in the housing, there is the option of arranging the pull-out containers such that the lower pull-out container comes to rest high relative to the installation surface of the dishwashing machine. This creates corresponding space for a continuous base panel. With the invention a dishwashing machine of the type initially described is designed such that when the dishwashing machine is placed in a row of kitchen appliances the base panel can both be designed as continuous as well as set back relative to the front of a row of kitchen appliances.

[0005] By the lower pull-out container being arranged in the housing of the dishwashing machine above the height of a pedestal recess provided on the housing of the dishwashing machine, the base panel can be designed uniformly continuous and, as is customary in kitchen furniture or domestic appliances installed adjacent to the dishwashing machine, can be installed set back.

[0006] If both pull-out containers are of differing heights, then one pull-out container can be of such a height that larger crockery and/or pots can be stacked into it. Smaller crockery, such as side plates and saucers and cutlery, can be stacked in the other lower pull-out container.

[0007] The upper pull-out container is advantageously higher than the lower pull-out container, whereby more crockery can be arranged in a space which is easier to reach.

[0008] Installing the pull-out containers high relative to the installation surface of the dishwashing machine is easily enabled by the housing of the dishwashing machine being provided with installation feet.

[0009] To enable a set-back arrangement of the base panel the front installation feet are set back at least by the depth of the pedestal recess.

[0010] With respect to the height of the base panel any tolerances in size can easily be compensated by the installation feet being height-adjustable. The height adjustability of the installation feet is achieved simply by the installation feet being provided with a screw thread and being able to be screwed into threaded holes provided on the housing.

[0011] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the diagram.

[0012] Reference numeral 1 designates a dishwashing machine according to the present invention, which is built in under a kitchen sill plate 2. The dishwashing machine 1 has two pull-out containers 3 and 4 arranged retractable in their housing. Both pull-out containers 3 and 4 are designed at different heights, whereby in the illustrated embodiment the upper pull-out container 3 is higher than the lower pull-out container 4. In terms of height the lower pull-out container 4 is arranged above a pedestal recess 5 provided on the housing. This gives the option of providing a base panel 6 in the vicinity of the pedestal recess. Such a base panel 6 can be designed uniformly continuous with the base panel of kitchen furniture or domestic appliances installed adjacent to the dishwashing machine 1, such as stoves, refrigerators or dishwashing machines.

[0013] The housing of the dishwashing machine 1 is effectively provided with installation feet 7. If these installation feet 7 are designed to be height-adjustable, then compensation in height can easily be achieved whenever this might be required for example on account of dimensional tolerances of the base panel 6. Height adjustability is enabled in a structurally simple manner by the installation feet 7 being provided with a screw thread and being screwed into threaded holes provided on the housing.

[0014] The height adjustability of the installation feet 7 also facilitates installing the dishwashing machine 1 in under a sill plate 2. Such sill plates 2 can be installed at various heights relative to the installation surface of the dishwashing machine 1. Any variations in height in sill plates 2 can easily be compensated by adjusting the installation feet 7.

[0015] With the invention a dishwashing machine 1 is designed such that when the dishwashing machine is installed in a row of kitchen appliances the base panel 6 can be designed both continuous and set back relative to the front of a row of kitchen appliances. 

1. A dishwashing machine with two retractable pull-out containers, each containing a dishwashing system, characterised in that in their overall height both pull-out containers (3 and 4) are smaller in size than the internal height available in the housing of the dishwashing machine (1).
 2. The dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the pull-out container (4) arranged lower in the housing of the dishwashing machine (1) is arranged height-adjustable above a pedestal recess (5) provided on the housing of the dishwashing machine (1).
 3. The dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that both pull-out containers (3 and 4) are of different heights.
 4. The dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the upper pull-out container (3) is higher than the lower pull-out container (4).
 5. The dishwashing machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing of the dishwashing machine (1) is fitted with installation feet (7).
 6. The dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the front installation feet (7) are set back by at least the depth of the pedestal recess (5).
 7. The dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the installation feet (7) are height-adjustable. 